1. Field
The present disclosure generally relates to medical systems and methods for using the same and, more particularly, to cauterizing systems with one or more deployable cords.
2. Background Discussion
Electrocautery units (ECU) are used in surgery to cauterize tissue in order to control bleeding. A packaged ECU often includes a cautery pencil and a bound up cautery cord extending from the cautery pencil to a plug. Typically, the cautery cord is folded up (e.g., in an accordion type style) such that the cord has an unwanted folded configuration (i.e., a shape memory configuration) when the ECU is removed from its packaging. This makes it difficult to maneuver the ECU around surgical sites.
Clamps are used to mount the ECU on a sterile support in a sterile environment. Traditional clamps are cumbersome and difficult to use. After the ECU is mounted on a sterile field with the clamps, the cautery pencil is used to cauterize tissue. It may be difficult to comfortably maneuver cautery pencils throughout a long procedure because cautery pencils are often somewhat bulky and uncomfortable to hold. Cautery cords are not long enough to permit convenient maneuvering of the cautery pencil about many surgical sites. If there are multiple working surgical sites, for example, there may be an appreciable risk of pulling the ECU off of the sterile field, thereby disrupting the surgical procedure.
Because cautery pencils are connected to cords that are not readily visually distinguishable from the surrounding environment, difficulties can arise in avoiding interference with the cord. For example, if the cautery cord is blue, the cord may visually blend with blue surgical drapes that are often used in surgical rooms. Additionally, the cautery cord may have a similar appearance to other cords in proximity to the surgical sites and may cause confusion during a surgical procedure. Thus, it may be difficult to keep track of the cord during a surgical procedure or to see and avoid unwanted contact, pulling, tripping over, and the like.